


Happy Hour

by saltedpeppermintmocha



Series: The Runner [3]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Abuse, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - SlaveTale, Alternate Universe - Underfell, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bara Sans, Characters will die, Drug Use, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Everyone is BIG, F/F, F/M, Homelessness, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Like really slow, M/M, Racism, Reader Is Not Frisk, Reader has a vagina, Slow Burn, So many pop culture references, Sorry Not Sorry, Swearing, dark themes, lots of swearing, reader is female, readers appearance is vague
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-10
Updated: 2019-02-11
Packaged: 2019-02-12 20:43:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12968049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saltedpeppermintmocha/pseuds/saltedpeppermintmocha
Summary: -EBS UnderFell Version!The monsters wonder how they could be so stupid. How they could believe a small child’s words that their world was peaceful and just. How they forgot that the world was cruel and unforgiving. As they watch their loved ones die that’s all they can ask themselves. How.————You are a nobody, a small-town bartender just trying to get by. You don’t expect anything to ever happen to you. But one day, you find a man scrounging around in the garbage behind your pub. No, not a man, a monster. What’s a girl to do?





	1. The Vodka Shot

“I can’t believe he- fucking hell!”  
  
The door slams open wildly. You startle harshly, looking up from your burger angrily. Your dinner break had just started damnit and you were _really_ looking forward to some peace and quiet. But Karina looks beyond angry. The blond bombshell stomps across the room towards the wall, slamming her hand against it. Ouch. Looks painful.  
  
She yelps, cussing loudly and shaking her hand in the air to dispel the pain. Eventually she just groans and leans back against the wall. “Seriously! You’d think he’d take a hint…or a hundred!” She sighs.  
  
_The fuck do I say to that?_ It’s obvious who she’s talking about. An wrinkly face pops into your mind. The creep has been coming every night she works. Its a mystery to everyone how he knows her schedule. You sort of think he’s looking in through a window or something. His advances had been kind of funny the first few times. Karina had been happy with the abundance of tips as well. But all amusement stopped after a few months of her working. The man never stopped.  
  
“What did he do?” You put down your burger sadly. Well, you guess that’s it for dinner.  
  
“He grabbed by fucking ass!”  
  
“No!” You bring a hand to your mouth. _Wait. How did he grab it over the bar?_ Huh. You mentally shake yourself. NOT the time. “What did you do?”  
  
“I told him off, of course.” Karina picks at her nail in frustration. “Then I came back here. Oh my god I need to calm down.” She puts her head in her hands, taking a few deep breaths. For a brief moment you contemplate not doing anything. It’s not your battle. You have no stakes in this. Karina is not even really a friend of yours. But…  
  
“I’ll go out.” You sigh, standing up. “Stay back here for a bit. I’ll try to get him to leave.”  
  
The blond pushes herself up from the wall. “Wait, really?” She looks down at you, shocked. Damn her fucking five inch heals. Unfair. “But…what about bossman?”  
  
You sigh. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll deal with him.”  
  
Despite your bravado, you honestly are quite worried about what will happen. The boss was never happy with sudden changes or upset customers. You slide the burger into the fridge (because there is no way you are throwing away free food) and head on out. As the door closes behind you, Karina calls out a ‘thank you’. You raise a hand in acknowledgement.  
  
_Of course_  the creep is still there, sitting at the bar with a distant smile on his face. You breathe in through clenched teeth and walk behind the bar. The creep startles slightly, and the smile on his face falls as he notices you.  
  
“Where’s Rina?” He asks. A nickname? _Gross_.  
  
“Seemingly not here.” You reply, deadpan. “I’ll be taking care of y-“  
  
“When she be back?” Ah. His words are beginning to slur. A _tipsy_  creep then? Even worse.  
  
“Dunno.” You shrug. Oh, how you urge to say ‘whenever you leave you fucking pervert’. But, you DO value your job. “That saying, I’m going to have to cut you off soon. And I hope you’re not planning on driving back.” Still, you'll have fun with the fucker while he's here. He's no where near needing to be cut off, and he knows it.  
  
His eyes narrow. “Fuck you!” He points at you.  
  
You raise an eyebrow.“Sir, you are getting out of control.” Careful to keep your tone calm, you continue. “I will have to ask you to leave if you continue.”  
  
“What?!” He stands up. You flinch back. “Listen here you little shit-“  
  
“Whoaaa buddy!” A hand suddenly appears on the creeps shoulder. You both look at the newcomers. There are five people standing behind the creep, looking a mix of ‘tough guy’ and ‘concerned’. A sharp relief hits you. Thank god for awesome regulars. “Why are you bothering her?”  
  
The creep, possibly aware he’s now vastly outnumbered, is only able to stutter. All his bravado leaves him, and he meekly allowed himself to be led outside by a few guys and gals. You watch them in silence as they lead him out the door. He wont be back…tonight.  
  
You let out a long breath of relief, closing your eyes. “Does he, uh, bother you a lot?” You open your eyes. Ted is still standing there, looking very concerned.  You give a small smile.  
  
“Nah, not me. One of the girls though.” Reaching out, you grab the creeps leftover glass. “Comes with the territory though.” Ted frowns.  
  
Taking the  easy out of the awkward moment, you bring the glass into the back room for cleaning. Placing the glass into the sink, you let out a long breath. That could have gone much worse. You take a moment to compose yourself and walk back out. The gang are back inside, chatting at their regular booth. There a few new people at the bar.  
  
Huh. How quickly life moves on.You head back towards the little office. Karina is sitting in the chair behind the desk, fiddling with her phone. She looks up instantly as you come in.  
  
“He’s gone.” You nod at her. “You should be fine now.”  
  
Karina stands up instantly, with a huge smile. “Cool, thanks!” She walks by you and back out into the bar. Theres a cheer as she returns, particularly loud from the gangs table. You chuckle to yourself and sit back down. A moment later you’re standing back up. You’re too wound up from everything going on to sit down and relax. For a moment, you’re unsure what to do.  
  
_Fresh air. I need fresh air._  
  
Grabbing your purse you exit the office, turning down the small hallway that leads to the exit door. With a small push, it opens and you are outside. It smells…like an alleyway. There are garbage bags piled up beside the overflowing dumpster. The garbage truck must not have come by.  
  
You look down at your phone, adding an extra seven minutes to your break time to excuse that entire situation. You still only have ten minutes left. Well, maybe you can still get that peace and quiet. You take a few steps from the door and lean back against the wall. Looking up at the grey sky, you wonder if it’s going to storm tonight. You frown before looking down at your phone again. Huh. You have a new message.  
  
**[from Debbie]:** sleepover tn?  
  
A warmth begins to grow in your chest. The girl always seems to know when you’re having a bad day. You type out a quick response.  
  
**[to Debbie]:** fuck yea! done at 8, come pick me up.  
  
You’re just hitting ‘send’ when a sound echoes lightly in the alleyway, followed by a groan. You frown. _What the fuck is that?_  
  
Immediately you’re on edge. Is it the creep? You push off the wall, looking around. There’s movement, in the garbage. A racoon? Or…  
  
A garbage bag rolls away. Even in the dark, you notice a huge black…something. Your eyes widen, pulse picking up quickly. That is NOT a racoon. A bear? You slide against the wall, heading back towards the door. Shit shit shit shit. The garbage ruffles a bit more. Another groan.  
  
“Hey…” You call out, wanting to hit yourself instantly. The movement stops, suddenly. So…a human? A drunk? “You alright?”  
  
There is no response. Unless you count a groan. Which you don’t, by the way.  
  
Honestly, this is when you should turn back. Head back into the office and burry your sorrows in the rest of your burger. But part of you REALLY doesn’t want to go back in there. You just want…out.  
  
“I got some…Edvil if you need any?” _Ugh, why am I even trying?_ Then you remember countless mornings spent in pain groaning into your pillow without medicine. You would have done anything for it then. “Possibly some Esprin too.”  
  
No response…cool.  
  
“Well then, alright. I’ll leave you to your suffering.” You take one last step to the side, now finding yourself in front of the door. Then you hear it.  
  
“please…” THAT was definitely a male voice. You pause. Ah fuck. You reach towards your purse with one hand, fiddling through the main section until your hand falls over a bottle. You pull it out. Esprin. Eh, that works.  
  
Every instinct is telling you to not get close to this person. You don’t know who they are, what they look like or what their intentions are. Luckily, the dark blob doesn’t seem to want to get close to you either. It doesn’t move.  
  
“I’ll just leave the bottle here.” You place it down on the concrete, failing to make it stand up completely. The bottle just falls to its side. “Take one or two, any more will make you sick.” Taking a deep breath, you turn slightly and grab the handle of the door. Pulling at it, you slide back into the pub.  
  
————  
  
Honestly, you still feel like you were somehow still jipped a few minutes of your dinner break. You feel exhausted as you get back on the floor. The gang of regulars is still there, as usual, and they manage to make you smile with their antics. The creep doesn’t return that night.  
  
Debbie shows up a few minutes before eight. Her smile tightens slightly as you tell her about what happens and she goes on about things she could ‘do’ to him with science. It’s a little evil, but you appreciate the sentiment.  
  
At eight on the dot, your replacement- Wendy- walks out into the restaurant. You give her a smile and head into the back to punch out. When your eyes fall on your purse, you remember the weird situation in the back alley. Honestly, you hope the person didn't _die_  or something.  
  
You intend to tell Debbie all about it, really, but she seems to have other plans. When you walk out of the office, she is right there with a big smile on her face, grabbing your hand and leading you over to the bar. Karina stands behind the bar, pouring the last of four shots.  
  
You snort, looking over at Debbie. “I hate you.” You lie.  
  
She laughs. “C’mon! Drink away the problems!” So unhealthy. You sigh, sitting on the bar stool beside her. It turns out, her excuse for buying you _four fucking shots_ , is that two are actually for her but she can’t drink because she’s driving. “…so you might as well make sure they don’t go to waste.” _Typical._ She winks at you. You stick out your tung in response, picking up the first shot. “Shot, shot, shot, shot!”  
  
You take the mystery shot. Ugh. Straight vodka. Why. You send Debbie a look of betrayal. She just giggles.  
  
 By the time you finish the fourth shot, you can feel the first beginning to hit. You say a quick goodbye to Karina and Wendy, heading out with your friend. Debbie leads you towards her car parked a block away and you slide in, immediately plugging your phone into her AUX cord for music.  
  
The car comes to life, and she pulls out onto the road. You find a song, turning it up instantly. Both you and Debbie sing along. You’re feeling pleasantly buzzed as you harmonize (badly) with your friend. You won’t remember your earlier encounter the entire night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO MY LOVES
> 
> If you're new here, welcome to the adventure! If you're one of my lovely EBS readers, thank you for sticking around!  
> This is the Underfell version of my EBS fic. It's a lot grittier...but also a lot more magical. SO we'll see how it goes.
> 
> Why is this a thing? There's MANY scenes I've written out for EBS that just...don't work there. Sometimes there isn't a good time, or the characters are not at a place where the event would happen (physically or mentally). I've been thinking about ways to bring these scenes into EBS for a long time, and eventually they sort of morphed together into their own story. And THUS, here we go! 
> 
> Alright, so it's a BIT of a rough start. But let's be honest, so was EBS. Stick around for some fun and angst ;)
> 
> -J ❤
> 
>  
> 
> Edit: Oh, this will be updated less frequently then EBS (at least for now), expect around a chapter a week. However, I'm not sticking to a tight schedule and there may be two one week and none the next.


	2. The Adios Motherf*cker

A distant beeping sound brings you back into consciousness.  
  
Without opening your eyes, you roll over wildly swinging your hands. It hits the top of a frankly out-dated alarm clock, stopping the sounds. For a moment, everything is calm. You take a few deep breaths and enjoy the quiet. Then you open your eyes.  
  
Instantly, you’re assaulted by the morning light burning deep behind your eyes. A headache forms instantly. With a groan, you flip onto your stomach and burry your face into the pillow. It doesn’t help; the damage has been done. You’re well and truly hungover. Fuck.  
  
Another loud groan and you’re rolling towards the side of the bed, getting a bit caught up in blankets. In the back of your mind, you register that Debbie must be awake if you haven't hit her. You literally slide out of bed, barely making it to your feet. Ughhh.  
  
Do you regret last night? Nah. Do you wish you hadn’t given away your Esprin? Yup.  
  
Rubbing at your eyes, you wander towards the attached bathroom door. You don’t knock, but luckily it’s empty when you walk in. Immediately you raid the medicine cabinet, finding some of Debbie’s Esprin and taking a double dose dry. You promise yourself to drink some water soon.  
  
In your sleep, your bun has almost completely fallen out. You adjust it quickly, splashing a bit of warm water on your face. Eh…good enough for now. You leave the bathroom, heading towards the kitchen. The smell of food hits you quite suddenly, but you’re not sure if its a good or bad thing at this point.  
  
“Hello gorgeous!” Debbie smiles wildly, curly hair flying as she turns to see you. Ugh. She’s too damn peppy in the morning. She’s standing over the stove, a whisk in her hand. A smile begins to grow on your face. Hangover breakfast for two. Hell yea! “Sit down, it’s almost ready.”  
  
You comply immediately, and notice two steaming mugs of tea already on the table. Ah, Debbie. Such a saint. You grab the one nearest to you and take a sip. It burns, but otherwise is very good. Peppermint? You hum in contentment and hear Debbie giggle in the background.  
  
“And we’re done!” You watch through half-lidded eyes as she plates the scrambled eggs beside some toast. Honestly, you’re not hungry but it still looks amazing. She grabs both plates and walks over to the table, setting one down beside you before sitting down across from you with her own.  
  
For a few moments, you eat delicious food in silence. The Esprin begins to take effect, making your headache fade slightly. Thank god. You look up to Debbie, noticing for the first time that she is completely dressed and ready. “You working today?” You ask, furrowing your brows. You can’t remember the last time she worked on a weekend. She was on the 9-5 grind.  
  
Debbie lets out a long sigh. “Yea…apparently some important people from Ebott are coming around to ‘check the facilities’ and they want everyone there.” The two of you lapse back into silence for a moment. From Ebott? You thought that place didn’t exist anymore after…  
  
“Going to see Luke today?” Debbie’s question breaks you from your thoughts.  
  
You frown, taking another bite of your toast. “Saturday lunch as usual.”  
  
She lets out an exaggerated sigh. “Seriously ____, you need to take him up on his offer!”  
  
“Deb-“  
  
“Listen!” She interrupts. “You’re not happy at the pub since Carl left. The new manager seems like a dick.”  
  
“I’m NOT a charity case.” You look away.  
  
“No.” She replies firmly. “You’re not. Look…how long has he been asking you?”  
  
“Five years.” You grumble.  
  
“Five years.” She nods. “Luke’s a nice guy, but he’s not the type to extend an offer to someone for so long out of charity. You’re good, and you know it.”  
  
You roll your eyes, but don’t reply. Honestly, you’ve thought about it many times. Luke’s diner has the reputation of a safe, happy environment. The complete opposite of what McLarens has become. You KNOW that Luke is a good boss. But…something always held you back. Maybe it’s the alcohol.  
  
You change the topic suddenly. “So, did you see the Game of Swords episode last night?”  
  
Debbie narrows her eyes for a moment, but gives in. “Yea, it was pretty cool.”  
  
The two of you spend the rest of breakfast talking about the show. However, eventually Debbie has to leave. She grabs both plates and puts them in the sink, forbidding you from doing any dishes. With a quick hug and a wave, she’s gone.  
  
For a moment you sit in silence. Then you let out a small breath and get up, walking over to the sink. As _if_  you’re going to just leave them there. You grab a sponge and the dish soap and get to work, humming a familiar tune to pass the time. Soon you’re done, placing the last of the dishes on her drying rack. You walk back towards Debbie’s bedroom, finding your phone laying on her floor. You grab it, checking the time. 9:10 am. You’re supposed to meet Luke in a bit under two hours. That’s enough time to get home and dressed.  
  
Wait. To get…home…  
  
Your car is still at the pub. With a groan, you plop backwards onto the bed. Well shit. Guess you’re raiding Debbie’s closet today.  
  
[ **to Luke]: Can u pick me up today? @ Debbies**  
  
You hide your eyes under your arm. The headache is almost gone. Woo. Your phone bings.  
  
**[from Luke]: Sure!**  
  
————  
  
Eating lunch at the diner is always nice. Luke makes a grand affair of it every week, bringing out new and old recipes until the table is full. You would feel bad, but honestly you can’t turn down the food. Typically you eat more then you should, and pack the rest up in boxes to eat for the next few days.  
  
Luke is great company too, despite his constant not subtle hints about you changing jobs.If it was up to him , the meals would be completely free. After five years, you’ve given up on paying for them but you insist on helping out with the dishes afterwords. You don’t take charity.  
  
So you find yourself in the kitchen, washing dishes while listening to music, when you hear someone clear their throat behind you. You turn around. It’s one of Luke’s newer employees, a bald chef named Heisenburg (you really hope that’s his last name ‘cause if that’s his first name then…wooo….that sucks). Apparently Luke went out of his way to hire the chef and his niece, who became the new busboy. Busgirl? Honestly, it’s a bit weird to you that he suddenly hired them. The restaurant could use more waiters before chefs. Then again…Luke still believes you’re going to join him any day. It’s a bit frustrating actually.  
  
“Hey.” Heisenberg starts, looking a bit awkward. “I can’t find Bluman, but we need this taken out back.” He hold up a garbage bag. It clatters a bit as it moves, must be broken glass. Ah, that makes sense to get rid of as soon as possible. “Do you mind?”  
  
You shrug. “Sure, no problem! I’m done anyways.” You reach out and grab the bag from him with a smile. “Thanks for all the food today.” And every Saturday. He just smiles at you and returns to his station. You turn around and begin the walk towards the back exit. Using your side to open the door, you walk into the back area.

Instantly you’re hit with the smell of fresh air. Its nice in comparison to the musty alley behind the pub. The only thing reminiscent of the alley is a cigarette burning out on the ground. It looks…very new. As if someone just dropped it in a hurry. Huh. Weird. The garbage truck had definitely arrived already, and the dumpster was empty. You walk over and carefully throw the garbage bag into it.  
  
As you turn around you see something out of the corner of your eye. A figure. Holy _shit_. You freeze, slowly turning your head to face it. It’s hidden in the shadows. A tall, thin figure with red eyes.  
  
As you lock eyes on it, lets out a deep growling sound and bolts. You jolt back in surprise as it runs by you. Your eyes attempt to follow the silhouette as it turns the corner out of sight.  
  
Were those…cat ears? Was that a cat? You stare at the corner where it had dissapeared for a few moments in shock. A tall cat on two legs? That's not…possible. Suddenly your phone pings. You startle harshly, before reaching down and grabbing it from your pocket.  
  
**[from Luke]: Where did you go? :(**  
  
Almost mechanically, you turn around and head back into the diner. Your head is still full of half-thoughts, still clouded in confusion. You don’t tell anyone about what you saw. You don’t even know WHAT you saw.  
  
————  
  
Luke drops you off at the pub around two in the afternoon. You don’t work until nine, so you don’t bother going in. You just slide into your car and head home.  
  
Home is a small one-bedroom apartment in the shitty part of town. The electricity only work half the time, and you think there might be black mould in your bathroom but it’s cheap and central. You pull into your parking spot and get out of the car, walking towards the building. The elevator has been broken for months, so you use the stairs to get to the third floor.  
  
It’s only when you’re in the shower that you let yourself think more on what happened behind the diner. By now, you’re half convinced that you made the entire thing up. Maybe your eyes were just playing tricks on you?  
  
There’s no way that was a human though…right? You push your face under the spray, exhausted brain attempting to come up with some sort of answer. Humans don’t move like that. But…  
  
You sigh, and lean forwards to turn off the water. You’ve been in there for an hour and your playlist is starting to repeat itself. The rest of the day is spent laying around the apartment, trying to get your mind off everything. Luckily, Luke proves to be a great distraction. He’s been texting you non-stop about working at the diner. You wonder what’s lit the wind under his sails. He’s never been THIS insistent before.  
  
**[from Luke]: Why don’t you just try? A trial run? See how it is, paid of course.**  
  
You groan, plopping down fully on your bed. In all honestly, Debbie and Luke are beginning to wear you down. And all the bullshit around he pub isn’t helping. At least the regulars are awesome. You’d rather deal with a gang of happy twenty-something’s than old ladies. Still…  
  
**[to Luke]: Fine.**  
  
————  
  
You leave at eight thirty for your shift at McLarens, getting there about ten minutes early. It isn’t overly busy, just a regular Saturday evening so far. Your eyes scan the area. The regular gang isn’t in, but neither is the creep. Overall that’s a success. Karina is already working the bar, so you head on over and ask her to make you whatever she wants. She gives you a wicked smile and nods. A few moments later she is sliding you a glass of…something blue. You shrug and take a sip. Oooo wow. That's strong. You look up at Karina, who is obviously waiting your response, and give her a nod.  
  
She smiles and goes back to the other customers. Downing the drink in a few minutes, you head to the back to get ready for your shift. Tonight you’re acting as a second bartender, as it’s expected to get a bit busier later on. You head out on the floor.  
  
You don’t get a break until around eleven, which is fine with you. It’s been busy, but you do actually enjoy your job. Overall people are nice and the tips are good (especially when you wear your low-cut top, which you are).  
  
Karina comes back from her break to send you on yours. Originally, you plan to get some peace and quiet in the staff area. However, walking up to it you can already hear rambunctious laughter. Must be the kitchen staff. You pause and sigh. Honestly, all you need is a bit of time to clear your head. You head into the staff area just to grab your purse and say hi to the kitchen staff. Then you head on out back.  
  
The smell of garbage hits you immediately, making you scrunch your nose a bit. If only this was more like the open back area of the diner. You sigh and flip over a nearby milk crate to act as a seat.  
  
**[to Debbie]: How’d today go?**  
  
Theres a shuffling sound in the distance, making you look up. Huh? What was that? There shouldn’t be anyone back here. You frown, standing up.  
  
You're not stupid. In fact, you’re quite aware of dangers that could be lurking in the dark. People get hurt even in small towns. Immediately on edge, you look around. You don’t see anyone, but the shuffling sound happens again. The fuck was that? Your eyes narrow.  
  
“Someone out here?” You call out. “Hey. Come out you little shit. No games.”  
  
For a moment, nothing happens. Then a deep chuckle.  
  
You freeze. Turning quickly, your eyes search for a source of the sound. There’s no immediate source. Then your breath catches in your throat. Two glowing, red eyes stare straight at you from the shadow of the dumpster.  
  
_Oh FUCK._  
  
Your heart jumps to your throat. _That’s not human. No fucking way that’s a human._  
  
A weird sound begins in the shadow, and you jolt as you notice something being rolled towards you. It’s a…pill bottle? As the bottle rolls closer to you, your eyes widen. It’s the Esprin bottle. _That means this is the…thing from behind the pub last night?_    
  
"thanks."  Holy shit it speaks.Your mouth opens, shuts, opens again. You want to say something but what the fuck would you even say?  
  
“You’re not human” is what ends up coming out of your mouth. That outline. Those glowing eyes. There's no way. Human beings don’t look like that. There is a brief moment of silence, where neither of you move. Then your phone pings in your pocket. You startle harshly, but can't take your eyes off the creature.   
  
“ya better get that sweetcheeks.” A deep chuckle, and he’s gone. Just…gone.  
  
For a long moment you just stare at the area, sure that the creature is going to show up again. Eventually, you shudder and grab at your phone. It’s just Debbie.  
  
**[from Debbie]: Idk, it’s all super weird. The girl in charge is super cute tho.**  
  
You can’t bring yourself to respond, and just shove the phone back in your pocket. Your hand shakes a bit as you grab the Esprin bottle from the ground and slide it in your purse. With one last look at the shadow where the creature had been, you walk back inside.  
  
The familiar sent and sound of the pub seems almost odd to you now. Something BIG just happened, you can feel it, but everything else is still the same. Nobody knows except you.  
  
“I was beginning to think you disappeared.” You look over at Wendy, who’s smiling at you from down the hall. Her smile fades a bit at your look. “Hey…everything okay?“  
  
"…of course.”  
  
————  
  
You end up faking being sick to go home early. It’ll really cut into your budget, but you were messing up even the smallest things. Your mind is reeling, unable to stop thinking about the craziness of today.   
  
When you get home, you head straight back into the shower to get the smell of ‘pub' off you. The second you hit the warm spray you realize that your breaths are just a bit too fast, your heart rate is a bit too high. It takes you the entire shower to calm yourself down, to recognize your own safety here. You’re alright, you're in your house. Nothing can happen here.  
  
Eventually you have to leave the shower. You don’t bother getting dressed and just climb under your covers. It’s already two in the morning but sleep isn’t coming. Now a bit calmer, you’re able to truly go over what just happened.  
  
For hours you engage in circular thought. Animals don’t look like that. Humans don't look like that. The one behind the diner actually growled at you. The one behind the bar spoke english. But they both had red glowing eyes, and intimidating silhouettes.  
  
There’s only one explanation popping up in the back of your mind. Monsters.  
  
…but that’s impossible. They all died years ago.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> আমার সুন্দর পাপী
> 
> A lot is happening here in just over 2000 words lol. For the first little bit the chapters are going to match up with the ones for EBS, but we're already starting to veer off a bit from that storyline haha.
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy!
> 
> -J ❤


	3. The Tequila Sunrise

You don’t see anything suspicious the next day, or the day after, or the day after that. You hope that ‘ _it_ ’ just moved along, but something tells you that is not the case. You keep seeing things, movement in the corner of your eye, a shadow where there shouldn’t be. It’s driving you insane. You’re more paranoid than you’ve ever been.   
  
Today is your first day working at the diner. You gave your pub shift to Karina, who was happy for the extra dough in pocket.Honestly, the day goes by fine. Completely normal. You feel comforted by the diner in a way the pub never could. Where the pub has dark corners and flirty old men, the diner has bright open spaces and chatty old ladies. The creeping paranoia falls to the back of your mind and you perform your job well.

Still, you’re aching to get some fresh air. At the pub, you don’t have to be ‘customer service nice’ to every person. You’re real personality is allowed to show. Here…it’s much more PG, and it tires you out. So when Luke tells you to go on break, you book it out. Quickly you hang up your apron and grab your phone, shoving it into your pocket. Now, officially on break, you make yourself a coffee and head towards the backdoor. It’s only as you’re pushing the careful not to drop the steaming mug that you realize that something is weird.   
  
It starts with you almost running into Bluman- Heisenburg's niece, and the new dishwasher-, who is rushing inside. Rude. She could have looked. You shake your head and continue your way outside. With your foot you hook and flip the nearby plastic crate on it’s top to form a little seat. You hum a bit as you sit down, prepared to just chill out for your break.  
  
You freeze. Eyes stare back at you from the shadow of the building. _Oh fuck. Oh fuck fuck fuck fuck_. Your mind becomes an unhelpful loop of profanities, your body unable to move.   
  
A low growl begins to grow from the creature, deep and dangerous. You jump back up in fright, dropping the mug. It shatters on the concrete, hot liquid splashing at your leg. You barely feel it. Your eyes are stuck to the creature, heart pounding harshly in your chest.  
  
“I-uh I mean no harm!” The growling increases as you speak. Fuck. “I don’t want to harm you.” _What am I even saying???_   
  
The growling cuts of into a quick sound, not unlike a laugh but not quite one. “As if _you_  could hurt me.” Your mouth opens in shock. That was a voice, deep and rough. And then there is movement in the shadow.  
  
Those glowing red eyes disappear for a second, only to reappear much higher. Oh. It stood up. And now it is much, much taller than you. Your heart jumps in your chest, instincts telling you that this this is dangerous.   
  
It feels like ten minutes go by where you just stand there shaking, though it might have been only a moment. But you notice something. The creature is holding itself weird, tilted as if leaning to one side. Why? And suddenly thats all you can thing of, your mind trying anything to decrease the increasing panic. _Why is it standing like that?_  
  
“Are you okay?” _Oh my GOD, what the fuck?! Do I have a fucking death wish? Why did I say that?_ Those red eyes narrow, and another chill rushes down your back. Is it mad? This creature, it can attack you. You’re well aware that it would be bad. That could been the end. Even hurt, you don’t doubt it.Still, your mind travels back to a week ago…the different thing behind the pub. That had ended well…right?  “Listen I’m not a doctor, I don’t know much but…” You reach into your pocket. “I have some esprin left. I heard it’s good for pain?”  
  
_Why am I doing this?_ You reach down and roll the bottle of esprin towards the creature. The red eyes don’t leave you until the bottle touches its…foot? Only then does it slowly bend down to get the bottle. It shakes the bottle as it comes back up, eyes reading it.   
  
“Trying to poison me?” It glances at you out of the corner of it’s eyes.  
  
“No!” A bit too loud. Your hands wave uselessly in the air beside you. “I didn’t even know you were here!” Oh shit.   
  
The creature stares you down for a long moment. Evaluating you. You shift your weight from side to side, nervous. Is it going to attack? _Will I have time to run? To defend myself?_ Or will it be over, just like that?  
  
“Do you have a smoke?” _Wait, what?_ You stare at the creature, lost. “Hey, brat.” Its eyes narrow again. “Do. You. Have. A. Smoke?”  
  
“I- ah- don’t smoke.” Surprisingly, cigarettes have never been one of your vices. “Sorry.”  
  
It lets out a sigh, shoulders dropping. “What use are you then? Leave.”  
  
Well, that is an out you are more than willing to take. A quick nod and you turn on your heal, headed straight for the metal backdoor. You grab the handle with one hand, pulling it quickly open and stepping inside.   
  
Call it curiosity, fear, stupidity, whatever you want but you can’t help taking one last look back. Your eyes widen. It has stepped out of the shadow.   
  
It’s a cat?  
  
You reach out to the door, stopping it from slamming shut behind you. Propping it open with your foot just a crack, you peek out. The cat creature is staring at the bottle of esprin, red eyes narrowed and tail swishing behind it. One hand goes up to open it. Oh. It can't figure out the child lock. Its face becomes frustrated as it struggles, ears flattening to its head.   
  
An almost hysterical chuckle threatens to bubble up in your chest. You bite your lip and let the door close fully, heading back inside.  
  
————  
  
It takes you a long time to calm down from that adrenaline rush. You get back from your break a bit late, and think about it throughout the rest of your shift. The day seems so long, your mind feels like it is in a fog. You work on autopilot, definitely not giving it your all. You keep repeating what happened in your head over and over, analyzing everything you did.  _  
_  
 _What is wrong with me?!_  
  
Unfortunately, others begin to notice after a while. Your new temporary coworkers start to send you weird looks, Luke pops out occasionally with a concerned look on his face. You are called into the office an hour before your shift is supposed to end.  
  
Luke neglects his office chair, sitting on the desk like the nerd he is. You decide to sit in the other chair like an actual civilized human. His arms cross in front of him, frown on his face. “What’s wrong?”  
  
Heh. What could you say to that? That there’s a creature behind the diner? Fuck no. “Nothing.” You shrug. “Why?”  
  
His frown deepens. He stares at you a moment longer, before letting out a long breath. “Maybe a full shift is too much right now. You worked last night right?” Ouch, that hurts your pride. “Why don’t you take the rest of the day off, go rest at home?” It’s phrased as a question, but you know how it works. When the boss says that, you go.   
  
You run a hand through your hair, frustrated with yourself. “Okay.” After pushing yourself up out of the chair, you head out of the office. You don't look anyone in the eye as you head towards the employee break room to grab your stuff, mumbling only a quick goodbye as you leave.   
  
You feel like a failure.   
  
Basically plopping into the drivers seat of your car, you slam your head down on the steering wheel. It hurt. Fuck it. Fuck everything. You didn't even WANT this damn job to start with. You are just doing this as a favour to Luke and Debbie, right? Then why does this…suck so much? Your mind keeps playing a fucking re-run of Luke’s disappointed face.   
  
Why did this have to happen?  
  
Ah, yes. The fucking cat. Right. With a groan, you push yourself upright and slide the keys into the ignition. The car starts easily enough and you pull away from the diner, beginning the drive to your shithole of an apartment. It’s a pizza and shitty television night for sure.   
  
The view is boring, really. The same trees and houses you’ve seen the entire time you’ve lived here. It’s no wonder your mind starts to drift. To red, glowing eyes and odd stances.  
  
Your fingers start to tap on the steering wheel. _No, I can’t help it. tap tap tap tap. I can’t. There’s nothing I can do_.   **Tap Tap Tap Tap**   _It would probably attack me anyways. I’m lucky it let me go today._ **TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP**   _I can’t. I REALLY can’t._ **TAPTAPTAPTAPTAP** You let out a frustrated groan, are forced to pull over to the side of the road to bury your face in your hands.   
  
“Fuck this.” You mumble to yourself, eyes closed. _Fuck everything that made me this way._  
  
—————  
  
You are beyond nervous walking back into the diner the next day. Something like this has never happened to you before. Well…no. You’ve definitely gotten in shit before but this is the first time you’ve CARED. But everything seems back to normal. Luke asks you how you are feeling once, and leaves it at that. You are…kinda grateful, really.   
  
The shift itself goes pretty good. You are on your A game to make up for yesterday and people can tell: coworkers are smiling and you’re getting good tips. But still, your mind is not completely there. You keep checking the clock, feeling nerves growing inside your stomach. You try to force yourself to think on other things. It doesn’t work.  
  
When you finally get the signal for your break, you almost throw off your apron and disappear into the break room. You grab your bag and head towards the back door. It is only when you are at the back door, hand on the handle that you pause.   
  
_Am I REALLY doing this?_  
  
Closing your eyes briefly, you count to ten.   
  
_Big breath in._  
  
_Out._  
  
_In._  
  
_Out._   
  
_**Okay.**_   
  
The door opens with it’s signature rusty creaking sound. You wince a bit at the loudness. Stepping outside, you look around. It looks empty but you know better then to assume.  
  
“Um, hello?” You call out.  
  
But nothing happens.   
  
Nervously clenching your hands around your bag, you take a few more steps closer to the dumpster. “Uh, cat guy? Hello?” Oh, you sound so fucking stupid. You are the damn idiot in a horror movie that dies first. You are completely aware. Still, you take another few steps towards the dumpster. Nothing. It's both a relief and a concern, really.   
  
Then you notice something that makes your heart drop. Your shadow…it's grown taller. It’s not just your shadow anymore.  
  
Oh **fuck.**   
  
It's behind you.  
  
“Don’y you dare scream.”  
  
You turn slowly towards the voice. Your heart pounds heavily, blood rushing too your ears. Oh god. It's RIGHT behind you. Close enough to touch. Close enough you have to look up to see those red eyes.   
  
It’s definitely a cat. A humanoid cat, but a cat nonetheless. Peach-coloured and red eyes. Not the weirdest cat you've ever seen. Not as terrifying as your paranoid brain had been picturing. Still, you get a feeling from this creature. A dangerous aura. Your instincts scream at you to stay away.  
  
But when have you ever done the SMART thing?   
  
You reach towards your purse. It -he? the voice is deep as hell- flinches away harshly, ears flattening and teeth bared. Defensive. “It’s okay!” You keep one hand open and up, palm facing the creature in hopefully some sort of placating manner. “I just have something for you.”Your other hand snags on a smaller box. Slowly, you bring it out and toss it towards him.  
  
He catches it with one hand, not even looking. Though once he gives it a look his eyes widen, ears perking back up. “The good stuff…” Red eyes glance back at you. “Why?”  
  
“Fuck, I don’t know. Maybe I’m a masochist.” The words are out of your mouth before you even think of them.  
  
He stares at you for a second, before a harsh laugh breaks from the creature. “You’re not too bad, little brat.” _Brat?_   
  
You watch curiously as he pulls out the cigarette box, opening it with one hand and popping one in his mouth. His other hand goes up to the end and the cigarette lights up. Huh. You didn’t see the lighter in his hand. Weird.   
  
Then there is silence, broken only by the occasional bird in the distance. You can’t even hear cars back here. Honestly, it’s sort of nice. The cat creature breathes out smoke that disappears quickly in the light wind. As the cat takes another hit, your eyes shift down his body towards his leg. You were right, he was definitely favouring one leg, the other taking little -if any- weight.   
  
You don’t want to break the oddly peaceful moment but your break will eventually come to an end. You don't know how long you’ve even been out here. “I have something for your leg.” Those eyes look back at you, narrow and suspicious. “Just some things for a splint. It's in my car.”  
  
A long silence. You are almost about to rescind your offer when, “I'm not getting in your car."  
  
_What?_  
  
Your eyes widen. “Uh...I don’t...want you too?” Confused.  
  
Another long silence. The creature looks you over, taking a few more deep breaths of tobacco. It almost hurts  _your_ lungs just watching him. “I parked just around the corner but I can go grab the stuff?" You offer. No response. “...or nah?”  
  
The cat blows out another breath and throws the stub on the ground, stepping on it to extinguish the flame. “Alright. Lead the way.”   
  
Oh. Okay then. A quick turn and you head towards your car without looking back. You don’t hear anything behind you, but he had already snuck up on you once so…   
  
Planning for this, you had parked very close to the back today, far away from anyone else. Still you peek around the corner, checking for movement. Just in case. Nothing. Great. It only takes a few steps before you reach your car.   
  
_Oh fuck!_  
  
He’s right behind you in the reflection of your window. Like a damn horror movie. Great. Cool. You don’t know how many more of these jump scares your heart can take. Still, you try to calm your breath and open the back door, reaching for the bag of items.   
  
Wordlessly you hold out the bag to him. He takes it, hand rubbing against yours during the exchanged. He's soft. _Huh_. Those red eyes look at you for a moment, before he gives you a nod and turns around. Immediately he heads back towards the dumpster.  
  
“Do you want any help?”   
  
“I can do it.” A rough response. Okay. You shrug.   
  
Suddenly your phone starts going off in your pocket. Your alarm. ”Uh, okay then. I’m going to head back inside.” He doesn’t respond, disappearing around the corner. You watch the area for a second longer, before closing your car door and heading back inside.  
  
Your break is over.  
  
  
—————  
  
You try to put what happened out of your mind for the rest of the day. Your coworkers seem to have everything under control at least, so you don’t need to do any heavy thinking. It's a good thing because you can't afford another fuck-up day.   
  
Humming a tune, you sweep the floor and wash a few tables. It has died down from the lunch rush, and you have only one table of your own. As you sweep, you notice a new figure in the corner of the room looking at you. A man. It’s a bit unnerving actually. You give a small, awkward smile and continue your duty. Why are people so fucking weird?   
  
Unfortunately after about ten minutes you realize you'll need to sweep near the weird customer. With a resigned sigh, you head on over. You can’t help but look as you get closer. Who could blame you, really? It’s a good looking man at least, around your age. He’s wearing a uniform, but you’re not exactly sure what it is. The logo says ‘MRC’. A new company maybe? Hm.  
  
“I haven’t seen you around here before.” Oh, a chatty one. You look over, leaning against the broom handle.   
  
“Back at ya." It’s harsher than you intended. Whoops.  
  
He looks shocked at your response. “Oh, sorry. I guess that’s true.”  
  
You feel a bit bad about that one. Poor guy was only being friendly. He has no way of knowing your current emotional struggle. You throw him a bone. “I'm new here. “ You explain. “I mostly work at Mclarens.”  
  
A smile appears on his face. “Ah, yes. My partner likes to visit there.”  
  
"Your partner?” You question.  
  
The man opens his mouth to answer when his phone rings. He gives an apologetic smile and answers it in a hushed tone. You respectfully step away, continuing your sweeping closer to the barstools and away from the booths. That logo is stuck in your mind though. You’ve seen that before, right? What is it?   
  
It hits you.  
  
MRC. The Monster Retrieval Committee. An armed force of officers whose only purpose was to hunt down and trap or kill monsters. You haven’t seen the logo in years, no wonder you didn’t recognize it. They haven't been around since all monsters were declared extinct.  
  
Your eyes widen. The cat! You look back at the man in the booth. He looks frustrated with whoever is on the phone. Another MRC officer? Shit.  
  
Monster law is old but it must still be in effect, right? All monsters are considered armed and dangerous. All people are required by law to immediately call it in when they find one so that the MRC can kill them. You think of the cat monster in the back. It definitely seemed dangerous. It definitely could have hurt you if it wanted. But...it didn’t. Why not? You are a complete liability to it. You could have called the police anytime. But it still came out of safety and followed you to your car.You stare at the MRC officer for a moment longer.   
  
_Well, fuck. I don't really have a choice now, do I?_  
  
You throw up the garbage picked up by the broom and put it back in the closet. You empty a random garbage bin. It's not full enough to throw out, but it gives you a good excuse anyways. You head out the back door quickly, keeping your steps loud as you walk around the dumpster. The cat monster doesn’t show himself. Maybe he left. Still…it smells like smoke. Maybe...  
  
“I don't know if you are here still.” You whisper. “But there is an MRC officer in the diner. You should hide.” No movement. No sound. You take a deep breath. “Good luck." You whisper it into the air before you head back inside.  


The MRC officer is gone when you return. He left a huge tip on the table though. Over 200% tip for his coffee. You take it, unsure of how to feel, and continue to work. Only a few hours left.   
  
—————  
  
The end of your shift can’t come fast enough. You feel your paranoia creep back in as you work. Did the MRC officer hear you somehow? Are you going to get arrested? Worse? But nothing happens, and eventually Luke pops his head out of the office to tell you that you’re done. You leave quickly.  
  
Your heart beats heavily as you get into your car, slumping back against the seat. Hopefully the monster heard you…  
  
_Why am I protecting it again?_ It is dangerous, you know it is. You FELT it as you stood beside him. Those red eyes have the ability to kill. You remember seeing the news footage from back then: the horrors, the carnage. What are you fucking doing?  
  
You sigh, sitting up and starting your car. You slide on your seatbelt, check your mirrors and-  
  
“FUCK!" You scream.  
  
Red eyes stare back at you through the rearview mirror. Cat ears flatten at your scream. He looks annoyed. The monster is in your back seat.   
  
Why is there a monster in your back seat?  
  
“I changed my mind. I’m going with you.”  
  
**_WHAT?!_**  



End file.
